Page 26 of The Final Deal

Reentering the house and Zak’s eyes lighting up even when I’m fully clothed while Adrian stews unhappily might be the indicator I’ve pushed Adrian too hard tonight.

I can push, but I can’t tip the boat over—not until the other problem is gone for good.

“You should go with me tonight.”

My brows furrow. “Go where?”

“To the bridge.”

If a pin dropped in the kitchen right now, it’d sound like shattering glass.

“What?” Zak and I say simultaneously.

Adrian spreads his hands. “You’re safer with me and Shannon, anyway. I’d much rather you be with us at the bridge than home alone with…” He trails off and tips his head toward his brother.

There it is, the missing piece: Adrian is playing alpha, trying to stake his dominance in front of his brother. And if I don’t agree or go with him, he’s going to know something is up between us and give me unending hell. Maybe outright drag me out of the house, anyway.

Besides: he’s taking me right where I need to be.

Chapter 10

VAMPYR

–Void of Vision

Maybe I should have puton sunscreen before my little nude stunt. Clothing rubs my skin raw and gives me more goosebumps than the freezing AC blowing directly on me in the Tacoma.

Adrian breaks the silence after five minutes of driving. “I know what you’re doing, and I don’t appreciate you testing the limit.”

“Did you have to finger me in front of your brother to prove your point?”

He snorts. “Don’t tell me that was more embarrassing than eating dinner in the nude.”

“Need I remind you he’s caught us once and thought you were assaulting me?AndI cheated on him with you. We don’t need to renew that trauma for him.”

“Then get your ass back in line, princesa.” Adrian scowls, first at the road lined with streetlights, then at me. “I don’t have a problem putting you in your place in front of my brother.”

My eyebrows raise sky high as I turn to glare at him. “You wanna try that again, motherfucker?”

He maintains his focus on the road, but the headlights dimly illuminate the curve of his mouth.

Trees and buildings pass by in a dark blur in the window. If he’s trying to rile me up after teasing him all evening, it needs to wait after we’re done at the bridge.

Ten minutes later, Adrian pulls up behind Shannon’s F-150. He cuts the engine and the headlights die, leaving the interior lit up by a streetlight a few yards away.

“Huh.” He points at the property where Devil’s House is. “Guess a developer finally bought it.”

The huge FOR SALE board that’s posted at the front gate of the property and fading from the sun now has a bright red SOLD sticker slapped across it.

“Who’d buy land by the airport?” I wonder aloud.

Adrian shrugs and takes my hand. “Guess they got it cheap.”

He leads me away from Devil’s House and toward the bridge, but not onto it. Instead, he takes a detour, holding my hand to help me over the metal railing as I follow suit. His phone lights up the way toward the creek under the bridge, where Shannon stands waiting and scrolling on his phone that shines at an unpleasant angle under his chin.

When he peeps up at us, his brows furrow in confusion. Then, realization crosses his face. “What the fuck is she doing here?”

Adrian shrugs. “Figured she’s safer with us than alone with Z.”

---